Westminster Health Forum: Next Steps for Decarbonisation in the UK Life Sciences Sector
Venue: Online.
Start: Tuesday 03 Sept 2024 09:00
End: Tuesday 03 Sept 2024 13:00
This conference focuses on the way forward for decarbonisation and moving towards net zero in the UK life sciences sector.
It will also be an opportunity for stakeholders and policymakers to discuss priorities for the new Government, including supporting growth in the sector alongside efforts and requirements to meet net zero targets, with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care pledging to make Britain a powerhouse for medical technology and life sciences.
Delegates will discuss opportunities and challenges for implementation of the NHS net zero supplier roadmap and stakeholder carbon reduction plans, looking at net zero benchmarks for procuring goods, services and works for the NHS.
There will be a focus on:
- reaching supplier benchmarks, with discussion on UK Scope 1 and 2 emissions following the extension to Carbon Reduction Plan requirements to cover all new procurement from April 2024
- practical strategies for tackling Scope 3 emissions and overcoming challenges in measurement and monitoring
With a policy focus on speeding up the shift to net zero procurement, sessions in the agenda will examine next steps for collaboration between key stakeholders and what is needed to secure achievable and cost-effective solutions. Areas for discussion include improving the role of data and AI in measuring and monitoring emissions in the supply chain, opportunities for sustainable sourcing, operational changes in the life sciences sector, priorities for innovative product development, and the potential role of regulation moving forward.
Sessions in the agenda will bring out latest thinking on how to address challenges and issues in areas such as increasing reusability and refitting fleets and buildings. Delegates will discuss issues for funding, procurement and the supply chain, including the impact of international developments in regulation.
Further sessions will explore progress so far on net zero benchmarks, looking at best practice cases and carrying forward successes, such as upstream transportation and distribution, eliminating toxic and plastic waste, and sustainability within laboratories, as well as efficiently transitioning to renewable power and alignment on common supplier standards.
Delegates will also discuss frameworks for deepening collaboration on decarbonising care pathways, including pharma’s role in strengthening coordination between smaller companies to progress net zero initiatives across the healthcare work stream. There will be discussion on implementing a proposed end-to-end care pathway emissions calculation standard and tool for specific diseases.
The agenda will also bring out latest thinking on priorities for moving towards greener clinical trials, potential models and funding requirements, employing data-driven sustainability, and next steps for fostering innovation in clinical research. Areas for discussion include developing a taskforce, with aims to leverage digital health solutions to decarbonise clinical trials, as well as incentivising research organisations and related suppliers to measure and reduce emissions.
We also expect discussion on the NHS Clinical Waste Strategy, looking at options for improving the recyclability of products, utilising more natural materials and considering product end-of-life as part of efforts to reduce emissions, as well as the role of the NHS Greener Plan, with proposals for green heat solutions by 2025 and targets for becoming the world’s first net zero national health service.